What does it mean "be filled with the Spirit?"The Holy Spirit - Baptism verses Filling: part 4

And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit.
(Eph 5:18)

The "filling of the Holy Spirit" is understood to be a divine process that occurs with a Believer who is
a passive participant. How does one understand the phrase "be filled with the Spirit" found in
Ephesians 5:18? The context of Paul's letter to the church of
Ephesus indicates a command to the Believer to take some sort of active part in the process of filling.

Grammatically, Paul's use of the verb "be filled" in Ephesians 5:18
is identified as a present passive imperative. Without going into the details of the grammatical structure and
tenses, the Greek grammar can be seen in the following manner:

As an imperative, it is a command to Christians; thus, it is not an option.

"Filled" is a causative verb in the active voice. The present tense indicates that this filling
is not a singular event, but rather a continuous replenishment. It literally means "go on being filled."

The verb "be filled" is in the passive voice; the subject of the verb (Christians) is being acted
upon by another (the Holy Spirit). This passive grammatical structure of "be filled" eliminates the possibility that
a Believer can actively do something towards the process of being filled. What then does Paul's imperative mean?

The immediate context of Ephesians 5:18 may provide some
clarity to Paul's command. The section begins with a conclusion to "be imitators of God," which is a radical idea;
true children of God want to grow up like Him (Eph 5:1)! In
contrast, the immoral, impure and idolatrous will not inherit the kingdom of God
(Eph 5:3-5). And, as Paul reminds the Ephesians of what they
once were, he enlarges on the contrast between darkness and light
(Eph 5:8-13).

It is in this context that Paul warns against the folly of drunkenness
(Eph 5:18), which may imply that it is a serious temptation
to the Ephesians. In contrast to craving the inebriating effects of alcohol, Paul wants the Ephesians to pursue
the filling of the Holy Spirit.

It is interesting to note that Paul does not command an abstinence from alcohol.

Paul's command is to "continue to be characterized by the ongoing condition of fullness
by means of the Spirit's work in your life." As drunkenness results in a wasteful profligate life, fullness
of the Spirit results in a life of thankfulness and gratitude to God; "making melody with your heart" is a life
fulfilled and content (Eph 5:18-19) and living with a love for
one another.

While the Bible does not provide any explicit information about how a Believer responds to Paul's present
passive imperative "be filled," there is an example of the apostles being filled with the Holy Spirit that may
provide an answer (Acts 4:23-31).

Some observations can be made about the apostles being filled with the Holy Spirit
(Acts 4:23-31):

1. Observed by their opponents, the apostles' faith was characterized as confident in their
knowledge and belief in Jesus Christ (Acts 4:13-16).

2. The apostles' prayer associates their opponents (Herod, Pontius Pilate, Gentiles and Israel)
as fulfillment of the prophecy in Psalms 2:1-2 in praise to
God (Acts 4:25-28).

3. Their prayer includes a petition, "And now, Lord, take note of their threats, and grant
that Your bond servants may speak Your word with all confidence"
(Acts 4:29-30). It is a petition that does not ask for
protection, relief or judgment of their opponents! Instead of on themselves, the apostles' focus is on the gospel
and glorifying Jesus Christ!

It appears that filling of the Spirit is founded on the foundation of strong faith, a faith
that believes and wholly trusts in the historical facts of Jesus and His words and causes the apostles to behave
in a manner that reflects that trust. Their filling also affects the congregation
(Acts 4:33) as the Bible records the extraordinary generosity
of Believers as they share everything (Acts 4:32-37).

There is a basis in this view as Jesus Himself comments on the quality of one's faith.

"And He said to them, 'Because of the littleness of your faith; for truly I say to you,
if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it
will move; and nothing will be impossible to you.'" (Matt 17:20)

"And the Lord said, 'If you had faith like a mustard seed, you would say to this mulberry
tree, 'Be uprooted and be planted in the sea'; and it would obey you.'"
(Luke 17:6)

When the verb "to fill" is used as an adjective in relation to the Holy Spirit, it describes a condition of
fullness as someone who is characterized by a quality of that which fills him. It is a not a consequence of the
filling, but as a reflection of the quality of faith and cooperation with the Holy Spirit.

Thus when one behaves in a manner that demonstrates a genuine lack of trust in God's word,
the Holy Spirit can be grieved (Eph 4:30) or quenched
(1 Thess 5:19).

Paul' imperative "be filled" places the focus of growing one's faith, learning more about the work of Christ
and increasing one's trust in God's word, on the Holy Spirit. While the indwelling of the Holy Spirit enables
the Believer to sanctify, devote, and dedicate himself to God, the sanctification is determined to the extent of
one's efforts of cooperating with the Holy Spirit (Rom 12:1-2).

With this view, "be filled" is not having more of the Holy Spirit; instead, it is the Holy
Spirit having more of the Believer.

"When you are in church… think that you are standing in heaven, and that in the company of the holy angels you
are meeting God and receiving Him in your heart."

As a federally registered Public Charity 509(a)(2) with IRS tax exemption 501(c)(3) since 2000,
Helpmewithbiblestudy.org has been dedicated towards providing free Bible study resources on the web without
any advertisements, sponsorships or solicitations. Develop your own theology: learn, challenge and help each
other in the process of sanctification.

Welcome to Helpmewithbiblestudy.org

When you became a Christian, did someone teach you how to read the Bible?

Understanding and applying the Bible is difficult without some reading method.

Helpmewithbiblestudy.org is designed to help Christians learn a sound and systematic method for
reading, understanding, and applying God's Word.

Each article has an accompanying PDF file to enable you to print ready-to-use lesson material.
Non-commercial use of the print material is encouraged especially in support of family lessons /
discussions, Bible studies, Sunday School, and missionary efforts.

How to Use Helpmewithbiblestudy.org

Helpmewithbiblestudy.org is organized in the following manner:

Grace introduces you to God's grace and love and provides thought provoking perspectives for
those with a skeptical predisposition.

Study Methods provides a tutorial and other examples that assemble the various skills learned
in Skill Builder.

Systematic Studies encourages you to think in a systematic manner so that you can develop a more
coherent theology.

Tools introduces you to various books and references that can enlighted your personal Bible
study and are worthy of including in your library. While books and references are recommended,
Helpmewithbiblestudy.org does not financially benefit from these endorsements in any way.

Search provides a variety of ways for you to find articles within our site.